Jam Gadang
0°18′19″S 100°22′11″E / 0.3052°S 100.3696°E | |
Location | Bukittinggi |
---|---|
Designer | Yazid Abidin, Sutan Gigi Ameh & Haji Moran |
Height | 26 metres (85 ft) |
Beginning date | 1926 |
Completion date | 1926 |
Dedicated to | Bukittinggi City Secretary |
Jam Gadang (Minangkabau for "Big Clock") is a clock tower, major landmark, and tourist attraction in the city of Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is in the centre of the city, near the main market, Pasar Ateh. It has large clocks on each face.
History
Jam Gadang is located in central
Originally a
On March 6, 2007, the Jam Gadang tower was damaged by two earthquakes that struck western Sumatra. Over the following years it was refurbished by the Indonesia Heritage Trust (Badan Pelestarian Pusaka Indonesia). Funding for the 600 million rupiah (approximately 55 thousand euros) restoration came from the Netherlands. The refurbished tower was inaugurated on December 22, 2010, as part of Bukittinggi's 262nd anniversary celebrations.[3]
The Jam Gadang tower has been used as an observation post during fires, such as one that affected the Ateh Market. During
Clock structure and location
The tower has four clocks made in Recklinghausen, Germany by Bernard Vortmann and shipped via Rotterdam. Each clock face has a diameter of 80 centimetres (31 in). The tower's base is 13 by 4 metres (43 ft × 13 ft) and it stands 26 metres (85 ft) tall.[2] The clocks use "IIII" for the number 4 instead of the traditional Roman numeral "IV".[2]
The laying of the tower's cornerstone was done by the 6-year-old son of Rook Maker, the city secretary of Bukittinggi at the time.
Tourism
The Jam Gadang tower is considered an icon of Bukittinggi and the city's main tourist attraction.
Many hotels are near Jam Gadang, as are traditional horse-drawn carriages called bendi.[1] Since 2016, the Jam Gadang plaza has hosted traditional Minang dances for tourists.[1] It also serves as the centre of New Year celebration in Bukittinggi.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f Bachtiar, Imelda (April 11, 2016). "Jam Gadang, Ikon Wisata Bukittinggi" [Clock Tower, Bukittinggi Travel Icons]. Kompas (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2017. Google translation
- ^ a b c d e "Jam Gadang, Gengsi Kota Bukittinggi" [Jam Gadang, the Prestige of Bukittinggi]. Kompas (in Indonesian). March 19, 2009. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Google translation
- ^ a b "Jam Gadang Selesai Diperbaiki" [Repairs to Jam Gadang Completed]. Republika (in Indonesian). December 23, 2010. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2017. Google translation
- ^ Farhan, Afif (October 3, 2010). "Jam Gadang di Bukittinggi, Saingannya Big Ben di London" [Jam Gadang of Bukittinggi, Competitor to London's Big Ben]. Detik.com (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on February 23, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2017. Google translation